


Rinba

by squirrelmort



Category: Free!, The Lion King (1994)
Genre: M/M, lion king AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-02-16
Updated: 2015-02-16
Packaged: 2018-03-13 05:07:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,051
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3368945
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/squirrelmort/pseuds/squirrelmort
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Lion King AU with Rin as Simba. Written for the Free! Shipping Relay Winter 2015.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Rinba

**Author's Note:**

> Originally posted on the shipping relay [here](http://freeshippingrelay.tumblr.com/post/111134170849/rinba).

“Run away and never return.”

Rin knew he had to follow Sera’s advice. How could he face his pride? Sousuke was dead, and it was all his fault. He had died protecting Rin. So Rin ran, leaving behind everyone. His mother Makoto, his best friend Nagisa, his father’s advisor Rei, his whole world. He ran and ran until he couldn’t run anymore and then he walked until he collapsed.

Rin woke up to water splashing his face. He blinked his eyes open. Somehow he had ended up in a shady spot by a lake. “Good, you’re awake,” a meerkat said. “Are you ok?”

“Yeah.” Rin was far from ok, but he didn’t want to get into it.

“We were worried.” The speaker was a warthog.

“We thought you were dead. We brought you here,” the meerkat said.

“Um, thanks,” Rin stood up.

The warthog moved up closer to Rin. “We don’t get many lions around here. What brings you out here? Where is your family? Are they looking for you?”

“Momo!” The meerkat pushed the warthog away. “He doesn’t have to tell us if he doesn’t want to.”

“I should get out of your way.” Rin headed out of the shade, hoping it was still away from Iwatobi Rock. He had to get as far as possible.

Momo and the meerkat watch him. “Gee, he looks blue,” the meerkat said.

“I’d say brownish-gold.”

“Momo… I mean sad.”

“Oh, right!”

The meerkat shook his head and ran after Rin. “Where are you going?”

Rin shrugged. “Anywhere but home.” He could never show his face there again. Momo and the meerkat exchanged a look.

“Why don’t you stay with us?” Momo asked.

“Where?”

“Here, in Samezuka.” Momo nodded back towards the water.

Rin looked back at the lush trees and the shade. It sure was nicer than the wasteland lying before him, but was it far enough away?

“There’s plenty of space and food, and nobody will bother you about your past. We all have things we don’t want to talk about,” the meerkat added. Rin’s ears perked up a little at this.

“You have secrets, Ai?”

The meerkat ignored Momo’s question. “I’m Aiichirou, and my buddy here is Momotarou.”

“Rin.”

“Welcome to Samezuka, Rin!” Momo said, pushing Rin back toward the lake. Behind him, Rin heard Momo whisper, “Now we have a lion on our team.”

“Yes, Momo, I know,” Ai whispered back. Rin ignored them, lying down in the shade and lapping up some water. His grumbling stomach gave away his hunger.

“Want something to eat, Rin?” Momo asked.

“Do you have any antelope?”

“Uh, we don’t eat antelope,” Ai explained.

Rin frowned. “What do you eat?”

“Grub!” Momo answered.

“What’s grub?”

“We’ll show you.” Momo smiled. Rin followed him.

“I bet there are some under that rock,” Ai pointed. Momo used his tusks to push it over.

“Oh, yeah, Ai, there’s plenty here!” Momo chirped.

Rin peered over Ai. “Those are bugs…”

“And they’re delicious!” Momo responded, slurping up a fat caterpillar. Rin almost gagged.

Ai saw Rin’s look of disgust. “In some places, these are considered a delicacy,” he said, placing a comforting hand on Rin’s shoulder. It didn’t really help, but Rin was hungry enough to try one anyway. “What do you think?”

It wasn’t the worst thing ever, but he didn’t look forward to a life of dining on slugs.  _But I guess that’s what I have to do_. “It’s ok.”

“Eat as much as you want, Rin.” Momo swallowed a mouthful. “Then we can show you our favorite watering hole.” Ai watched Rin with concern while he ate more.

………

Over time, Rin started to relax. He stopped having nightmares about his father. He didn’t think about his past that often. He adjusted to his new diet, even as he grew bigger and had to eat much more. He started talking more and more. He spent his days chilling with Momo and Ai. He was happy.

………

Rin was stretching out from a nap when he heard Momo scream. It wasn’t a noise he remembered ever hearing. He ran to see what was happening. He found Momo trapped under a tree root and Ai struggling to help him. Beyond them, he saw a lion.

He hadn’t seen another lion since the day he ran away, but he didn’t hesitate. His friends were in trouble, and he wouldn’t let this stranger hurt them. He attacked. He was a bit out of shape from years spent lazing about, but he was larger, and used his size to his advantage. At the very least, he would give Momo and Ai a chance to escape. He managed to push the other lion over, but lost his balance and they continued to roll until the other lion was firmly on top.

As the other lion pinned him on his back, Rin remembered the last time he had ended up in this position. It had been years ago, back when he lived in Iwatobi with his family, but he would never forget about all the play fights he had growing up. Looking at the lion over him, he realized the position wasn’t the only thing familiar. Rin knew this lion. He was much older and larger, and his mane had grown in, but Rin would never forget his best friend; he could recognize those pink eyes anywhere. “Nagisa?!”

Nagisa backed away in surprise and confusion. “Do I know you?”

“It really is you!” Rin moved closer to Nagisa, overjoyed to see his friend after so many years, but Nagisa stayed away with his ears folded back.

“Who are you?”

“It’s me, Rin!”

“Rin?” Nagisa questioned, moving nearer to sniff him. Satisfied, his ears perked up and he pounced on him. “RinRin! It’s you! You’re alive!”

“I can’t believe it! What are you doing here?”

“What are  _you_  doing here?” Nagisa head-butted Rin.

Rin bunted back. “I live here now.”

“I thought you were dead! We all did. I can’t believe you’re here! What have you been doing? Why did you leave?”

“Um, Rin?” Ai interrupted the reunion. “Do you know him?”

“Oh, yeah. Nagisa, this is Ai and Momo. I’ve been living with them. They basically saved my life, and brought me up. Guys, this is Nagisa. He’s my best friend from back home.”

“Hey, Nagisa!” Momo said, seeming to forget his previous terror. “What was Rin like as a kid? He never talks about his past.”

“Oh, I have plenty of stories I can tell you. Like the time RinRin took us to an elephant graveyard. Or how he was such a sore loser whenever I beat him.”

“Excuse me, but am I the only one who remembers that he was going to  _kill_  Momo?” Rin recognized Ai’s “you all are crazy” voice.

Rin frowned. “Why are you here? Iwatobi is so far away.”

Nagisa hung his head. “I was looking for food or help or anything. Iwatobi is a disaster right now. Sera used up everything. He’s caged Rei. There’s no food or water.” Rin noticed that Nagisa seemed thinner than he should be. “Ever since Sousuke died…” Rin cringed. Ai moved to comfort him.

“Who’s Sousuke?” Momo asked.

Nagisa was silent, letting Rin answer. “Sousuke is my father,” Rin answered, hanging his head. He still couldn’t bring himself to use the past tense.

“Rin…” Ai didn’t know what to say.

Nagisa gently nuzzled Rin’s cheek. Quietly, he added, “He was also our king. And if you’re alive, that means you’re king. You have to come back.”

“Rin is king?!” Momo yelled. “Why didn’t you tell us?”

“Because I’m not.” His dad was king, not him.

“RinRin…”

“I’m not. I live here now.”

Ai frowned. “Rin.”

“You said I don’t have to talk about my past.”

“But—” Momo protested.

“I’m not the king, and I’m not going back there.”  _I can’t_.

“Rin.” Nagisa waited for Rin to look at him. He only ever dropped the extra “Rin” when things were serious. “We need to talk.” Rin nodded. He knew better than to argue. Nagisa always got his way.

“Guys, can we have a moment?” Rin said to Momo and Ai.

“What are you going to talk about?” Momo asked.

“Momo, we should leave them alone.”

“But I want to hear what they have to say.”

“Momo, come on.” Disappointed, Momo followed Ai.

Once they were gone, Rin turned back to Nagisa. “What did you want to talk about?”

“I’ve missed you so much.” Nagisa nuzzled against Rin’s neck. “I still can’t believe you’re really here. You’re alive.”

“I never thought I would see you again.” Rin nuzzled back.

“Why did you leave?”

“I can’t tell you.”

“RinRin,” Nagisa complained, pulling away.

“I just can’t talk about it.”  _He’d never understand. My father’s dead and it’s all my fault_ , Rin thought, avoiding eye contact.

“So what do you do for fun out here?” Nagisa changed the subject.

Rin smiled. Nagisa might be pushy, but he knew when to hold back. “I’ll show you.” He set off running, Nagisa following. He showed him all around Samezuka. They slowed down while crossing Rin’s favorite tree bridge to admire the waterfall.

“It really is beautiful here,” Nagisa said as they reached the base of the waterfall and he leaned down to take a drink.

“And that’s not even the best part.” Without warning, Rin pushed Nagisa into the water and then jumped in after him.

“What the hell, RinRin?” Nagisa sputtered out when he emerged. He pulled himself out and shook himself, trying to get the water off.

“You don’t like it?” Rin laughed.

“My mane is all wet,” Nagisa moaned.

“It’s really great on hot days,” Rin explained, climbing back onto land.

“Then you can stay in there.” Nagisa pushed Rin back in, but lost his footing and ended up falling in as well. Rin started laughing again, and this time Nagisa joined him. They swam across to the other side of the river, where it was easier to get out, and Rin led them up a hill. The sun had started to set, and they lay down on their back so they could gaze up at the stars.

“You know, my father once told me that the great kings of the past were up there, looking down on us,” Rin said.  _And now he’s up there, watching me waste my time out here_.

After a few moments of silence, Nagisa rolled to look at Rin and said, “I think he would want you to return to Iwatobi.”

“You barely knew my father,” Rin argued, adamantly refusing to look at Nagisa.

“But I know your mother. She misses you. She was devastated when Sera told us you had died. You have to see her.”

“No, I don’t.”

“Rin, we need you. Everything’s gone down since Sousuke died. ” Nagisa got to his feet.

“What am I supposed to do?”

“Take away Sera’s power. Kick out the hyenas. Be the king you’re supposed to be!”

Rin jumped to his feet. “I’m not supposed to be king yet! Dad is!” he yelled.

“I know.”

“No, you don’t! You don’t know anything!” Rin started to run, but Nagisa was too fast, pinning him as usual.

“Then tell me!” Rin looked away, trying to ignore the lion on his chest. Nagisa made himself harder to ignore by leaning down and rubbing his head against Rin’s shoulder and chin. “I thought we could tell each other anything.”

Rin sighed. He could never stay angry at Nagisa. But he also couldn’t tell him how if it weren’t for him, Sousuke would still be there. “I just… I can’t talk about it.”

“You have to talk about it sometime.”

“Just give me some time. Ok?”

Nagisa nodded against Rin’s chest before rolling off him and looking back at the sky. “I need to go back soon. I promised the pride I would return. And I want to bring you back with me.”

“I don’t know.”

“I really missed you,” Nagisa said, headbutting Rin’s cheek and sticking his tongue out to lick him.

“I missed you, too.” Rin nuzzled his face against Nagisa’s. He knew he would give in eventually—there really was no point in arguing with Nagisa. But for now he just wanted to spend some time with him under the stars. 


End file.
